OPERATION RED WINGS: THE REAL-LIFE STORY BEHIND 'LONE SURVIVOR'
Operation Red Wings took the lives of 19 military service members on June 28, 2005. On that day, deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad, a four-man Navy SEAL team was conducting a reconnaissance mission at an unforgiving altitude of 10,000 feet. The mission began in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan. During the mission, an attack MH-47 Chinook, with eight additional Navy SEALs and eight Army Nightstalkers, was hit by an RPG, killing everyone onboard. This was the worst single day in the U.S. Force death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began almost six years earlier. It was also the single largest loss of life in the Navy Special Warfare since World War II. Operation Red Wings would eventually go on to inspire the blockbuster movie, Lone Survivor. This is the true story.
What Was Operation Red Wings?
The Operation Red Wings mission aimed to disrupt Taliban activity, and secure the area for the upcoming election that happened in September of 2005.
The SEAL team was scouting Amah Shah, who was going by the assumed name Muhammad Ismail. Shah led a guerrilla group known to locals as the “Mountain Tigers” that had aligned with the Taliban and other militant groups close to the Pakistani border. The group was spotted by local nationals and a large group, estimated to be about 50 fighters attacked and pinned down the group.
The team was made up of 4 SEALs, Lt. Michael P. Murphy, Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Danny Dietz, Sonar Technician 2nd Class, Matthew Axelson, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Marcus Luttrell. This team was scouting Ahmad Shah - a terrorist in his mid-30s.
Murphy is credited with risking his life to reach Bagram Special Forces Operations (SFO) Quick Reaction Force. He had to move away from cover to get a signal to make contact, and was exposed to enemy fire doing so. However, he was successful in reaching Bagram SOF QRF, and eventually did make it back to cover. But, he was severely wounded.
Shortly after, a QRF was activated. Two attack helicopters and one MH-47 Chinook were sent to respond. The attack helicopters should have led the way. When entering a hot combat zone, attack helicopters are used initially to neutralize the enemy and make it safer for the lightly-armored, personnel-transport helicopter to insert.
But, because of their weight (they moved slower than the MH-47), the team knew the risk of flying without escorts into a hot combat zone, but knowing that their warrior brothers were shot, surrounded and severely wounded, the rescue team opted to directly enter the oncoming battle in hopes of landing on brutally hazardous terrain.
Unfortunately, the MH-47 Chinook was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade, killing everyone on board. Those killed in the MH-47 Chinook included:
- Jacques J. Fontan
- Shamus O. Goare
- Corey J. Goodnature
- Daniel R. Healy
- Kip A. Jacoby
- Erik S. Kristensen
- Jeffery A. Lucas
- Michael M. McGreevy
- Marcus V. Muralles
- Shane E. Patton
- James W. Ponder
- Stephen C. Reich
- Michael L. Russel
- Chris J. Scherkenbach
- James E. Suh
- Jeffery S. Taylor
Why Was the Navy SEAL Team Targeting Ahmad Shah?
There are a few inaccuracies when it comes to the story as it was depicted in the movie.
One inaccuracy was the listing of Ahmad Shah as a high-level al-Qaeda operative. In both the film and in Luttrell’s original book, it was stated that Shah was one of Osama bin Laden’s closest associates.
However, it has since been disproven that Shah was a member of the Taliban, and he wasn’t a comrade to bin Laden.
The SEAL team actually targeted Ahmad Shah during Operation Red Wings because he was the leader of the local Taliban-aligned anti-coalition militias.
Marcus Luttrell, a Lone Survivor
Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell was the only one to survive Operation Red Wings.
Although injured, he was able to evade capture, and was rescued by local nationals who took him to a village where they kept him for three days.
One of the villagers took a note to a Marine outpost from Luttrell. U.S. Forces launched a massive operation, and rescued him from enemy territory on July 2nd.
What Happened to Marcus Luttrell In Real Life?
In the film depiction of Lone Survivor, the movie’s ending gives very little explanation of what happened to Luttrell after he was rescued.
After his rescue, Luttrell was given time to recover from his injuries. After recovering, he returned to full duty, and was redeployed to Ramadi. Luttrell fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006, as part of SEAL Team Five.
As Luttrell continued service, he experienced more injuries, and eventually received the Navy Cross, before returning home in 2007.
He wrote his story in a book called, Lone Survivor, that was later turned into a movie by the same name. His story highlights both the bravery of the men, and the failures that led to the loss of life that day.
A Widow’s Story
Char Fontan Westfall, the widow of Jacques Fontan, who died on the MH-47 during Operation Red Wings, life was forever changed the day her husband died.
When asked about the emotions she felt when she found out her husband died, she said, “It was the reality of finding out what it is like to have your heart broken. I've never experienced such pain before in my life. I couldn't breathe, I got sick, and I remembered realizing my entire life had just been ripped away from me. I went from being 29 years old and in a wonderful marriage, buying a new home to start a family in, and then in a matter of a second, I was alone.”
Char went through many emotions and challenges after losing her husband. She described an overwhelming feeling of anger and emotions she said she felt were crazy or wrong to feel. It eventually led her to go to therapy.
When reflecting on what she learned from therapy she said, “I learned that the ups and downs of emotions were normal. I learned that feeling like you wanted to die didn't make you crazy. I felt heard and validated, and it gave me an outlet to share my feelings and anger, and questions without it feeling like I was putting so much burden onto friends and family.”
A Beautiful Tragedy: A Navy SEAL Widow’s Permission to Grieve and a Prescription for Hope
With the ups and downs of living through the tragedy of losing Jacques, then finding love again years later, and now as a mom of three, Char has been through much change.
Her husband, Dale Westfall, was one of two people who encouraged her to write her new book, A Beautiful Tragedy, he said, "You've gone through a very dark time and hard loss, and now look at you! You live a life still honoring Jacques but have moved forward with life and love, and I'm sure hearing your honest truths and struggles would be helpful to others.”
Helping others is why Char wrote her story. She has been told by others, “It's been mentioned to me that I must not have really loved Jacques that much if I could remarry” or “I should at least stay single for as long as we were together.”
Words like this are painful to hear, and don’t hold to the truth of what widows experience. Everyone has their own journey in grieving and she hopes no one has to experience, “what it means to have your life and your future ripped away and your heart broken.”
Today, Char is a mom of three, and is living in what she calls a "parallel universe." She said, “I live in what I call a parallel universe, where those who knew Char and Jacques and the life now of Char and Drew. Char and Jacques, the couple of what ifs, and Char and Drew, the couple with 3 beautiful children and a future.”
She went on to explain, “My daily grief typically stays buried during my normal day-to-day because there is no place for the struggles in my new happy space. I find help and peace in retreats that are provided yearly through the Navy Seal Foundation.”
Today, Char works with several foundations that focus on helping surviving military spouses, including the Special Ops Survivor Foundation, the Boot Campaign, and Team Never Quit. She also serves on the board of Marcus Luttrell’s Lone Survivor Foundation, which provides support to wounded service members and their families.
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